A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WHITE LIGHT OBSERVING

Examining our local star is easy to do safely and cheaply – read on and you’ll be seeing sunspots and finding faculae in no time

White light observing enables us to safely observe the Sun using various optical aids, some of which you can make at home. These techniques and devices significantly reduce the intensity of the Sun’s rays, which would otherwise cause significant damage to your eyes. With our guide to white light solar observing, you can explore the photosphere of the Sun and see sunspots, faculae (bright patches on the surface), limb darkening and, at high magnification, even the fine scale granulation of the Sun’s visible surface.